Golite Whim pants for rainy days

[Andrew King]

Hi BPL folks. I picked up a pair of the Golite Whim pants a few months ago. I've read all the reviews on backpackgeartest and liked what I saw. They are an incredibly light (4oz) and durable solution for wind pants. Folks have alluded to using them in rainy conditions as well, but none of the testers had encountered much rainy weather in order to truly evaluate their performance. I am tempted to bring this piece of gear along for use for cold wind as well as rain on an upcoming trip. Does anybody here have any experience they can share on the limitations of these pants in rainy conditions? Thanks.

[Roleigh Martin]

Any update on the Whim pants? I'm tempted to buy a pair for the same reasons you state, I'd like your assessment based upon field use. Thanks!

[Andrew King]

I had a reasonable amount of success with the Whim's in lighter rain, but in heavy downpours they started to leak. I have since gone on to the Montbell Peak Shell rain pants. These are very breathable and very waterproof. You can sit around in the rain and stay dry if necessary. They weigh around 3.5 oz more. So far I've been very happy with them. They are a bit pricey at $119, but you can usually find them on sale for around $105.

[Roleigh Martin]

Just curious, did you consider the Golite Reed pants at that time of switching brands? If so, your reasoning would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Michael Crosby]

Montbell Peak Shell rain pants ore on sale here:
http://www.prolitegear.com/montbell_peak_shell_pants.html
For $104.95

[Andrew King]

I also looked at the Reed pants, and they are certainly very light and by all accounts work well for staying dry. In the end I decided that the side zips on the Peak Shell which allows putting them on quickly without taking shoes off when it starts raining was an important consideration for me. I also think that the breathability of the Peak Shell fabric is vastly superior to that used in the Reed pants. Not as good as event, but in that ballpark.

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